This article is for admin users responsible for setting up and managing user access in nShift Portal.
Note: User management in nShift Portal is universal - the same setup covers all your nShift products, not just Returns. This article is a focused guide for getting Returns users set up, but you can find the full Portal user management documentation in the nShift Portal Help Center.
User management in Portal is flexible, but before you start creating users it's worth deciding which approach fits your organisation - this is much easier to get right from the start than to change later.
You will use one of the two approaches:
Functionalities (standard) The straightforward way to control what each user can see and do in Returns. You set up each user individually and assign them the relevant functionalities. This is the right starting point for most customers.
Access Groups (advanced) ) A more structured option where you define roles - such as Administrator, Support, or Read-only Viewer - and assign users to them. Each role combines a set of functionalities with a defined data scope, so users only see what's relevant to them. Access Groups are particularly useful if you have many users, multiple regions, or brands under one organisation. Managing user roles and permissions using Access Groups and Single Sign-On (SSO) configuration.
Not sure which to use? If you have a small team or straightforward access needs, start with functionalities. If you have multiple teams, regions, or brands under one organisation, Access Groups will save you time in the long run.
Note: This article covers user management using functionalities only. If you are setting up Access Groups, refer to Managing user roles and permissions using Access Groups.
Before you start
- You must have an Owner or Admin role in nShift Portal
- Decide which user management approach you are using before creating users — see above
Key concepts
Before setting up users, it helps to understand how permissions work in Returns.
Functionalities: The specific Returns features a user can access. Controls what a user can do.
Subscription plan: Controls which functionalities are available to your company overall. If a functionality is not included in your plan, it cannot be assigned to any user.
Creating a user
- Log into nShift Portal with your Owner or Admin account.
- Go to Settings → Customer Users → click New.
- Fill in the user's name, email, and username.
- Under the Usage Profile tab, enable the Returns functionalities this user should have access to. Only functionalities included in your company's subscription plan will be available.
- Click Save. The user receives an email invitation to set their password.
Important: The invitation link is valid for 72 hours. Let your users know to activate their account promptly. If the link expires, your company admin can send a new invitation from the Customer Users page in Portal.
For full details on creating a new user please see this article: Creating a new user.
Setting Returns permissions
Permissions in Returns are controlled through functionalities on the user's Usage Profile in Portal. You can update a user's access at any time.
- Go to Settings → Customer Users and click the user you want to edit.
- Open the Usage Profile tab.
- Toggle the relevant Returns functionalities on or off.
- Click Save.
Tip: Not sure which functionalities to assign? See Returns Functionalities and their meaning for a full breakdown of what each one controls.
Controlling market access
By default, all users in your company can view and configure all markets in Returns. If your organisation needs more granular control, Portal supports two additional layers of access control:
- Data Access - controls which markets a user can view in Returns Admin, and therefore which orders and returns are visible to them
- Configuration Data Access - controls which markets a user can edit and configure
This is particularly relevant for 3PLs and multi-brand organisations. See Controlling market access in nShift Returns for full details and setup instructions.